U.S. government ‘strongly’ condemns bus bombing

December 23, 2013 5:57am

Israeli police and rescue personnel at the scene of an explosion on an evacuated passenger bus in Bat Yam on Dec. 22, 2013. The explosion occurred on the bus while the bomb squad was removing a suspicious object. (Gideon Markowicz/Flash 90)

(JTA) — The United States government “strongly” condemned the bombing of a bus near Tel Aviv.

“Violent acts targeting civilians are deplorable,” read the State Department statement late Sunday night, hours after the public bus exploded in the coastal city of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. The bus had originated in Bnei Brak.

All the passengers had been removed from the bus after a fellow passenger noticed the suspicious package that contained the bomb.